


A Toast to Diplomatic Dangers

by hellowkatey



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Diplomacy, FebuWhump2021, Gen, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, Poisoning, Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29269404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellowkatey/pseuds/hellowkatey
Summary: It's difficult to enjoy a nice dinner when everyone at the table is hell-bent on killing you. Obi-Wan and Anakin find this out the hard way.[Febuwhump day 7: poisoning]
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138259
Comments: 5
Kudos: 100





	A Toast to Diplomatic Dangers

It's difficult to enjoy a nice dinner when everyone at the table is hell-bent on killing you. Anakin isn't entirely sure how or _why_ he and Obi-Wan are sitting here so casually when they figured out not ten minutes ago the dinner party they crashed was of Separatist synthesizers-- murderous ones, at that. 

Obi-Wan tried to justify it by saying, "It's social propriety. They think we think they are still part of the Republic, and we just won't let them know otherwise."

It took a moment for Anakin to think through exactly what his former master had even said. "But what is the purpose?"

And then he got _that look--_ the mischievous eyes and trademark Kenobi wry smile that only ever means he has a plan Anakin won't like. Obi-Wan gives him so much trouble for his plans being reckless, but if only the old man would look in the mirror every once in a while. Sure, his plans can be physically demanding, sometimes dangerous, but Obi-Wan's... they rely on the smallest securities that often the Jedi Master has deduced on his own but hasn't yet shared with everyone else. He once heard Master Windu joke that they are the two extremes on the spectrum of chaos, and he is pretty sure that is the best way to describe it. 

"Information, of course." 

_Fantastic_. _Risking our lives to satisfy Master Kenobi's curiosity._

Anakin wanted to remind him that 1. they are not shadows and not trained to spy and 2. he has a bad feeling about all of this, but they were escorted into the dinner party before he could make his points. So now they sit there, and it is _painfully_ obvious nobody at the table is pleased with their presence. It's almost embarrassing for the senators how poorly they are containing their disdain for their Jedi guests-- how they got this far without being outed as Confederacy converts is laughable. 

But his master persists-- chatting them up as though he is completely oblivious to their curt answers and blank stares. Anakin just sips on his

"... but I do think that last bill regulating hyperspace lanes was quite necessary, at least in the long run. Wouldn't you agree, Senator Zurros?" 

"If we expect to be in this war for the next decade, maybe Master Jedi."

Obi-Wan folds his hands in front of him. "Apologies, I saw your name on the supporting document, so I assumed we shared sentiments." 

The Falleen senator pauses, receiving looks from the others at the table. "Yes, well, I can have opinions differing... from what still... makes sense, you see." 

"Of course, well you are much more acquainted with political processes and the practice of _choosing_ loyalties than I," Obi-Wan says, looking as innocent as possible. Silence falls over the others, and the Jedi Master takes a sip of wine. 

Anakin has to hold in a laugh. Obi-Wan is enjoying this far too much. 

Serving droids enter the room with plates of the main course, thankfully breaking up the tension in the room. Anakin spies two of the senators on the far end whispering to one another, looking up at Obi-Wan and then to one of the droids. Anakin grimaces. It looks like he will be saving his master again, after all. 

"Excuse me a moment," he says, standing up and bowing politely. He feels the stares as he walks off toward the hall, but ignores them. 

_Fresher?_ Obi-Wan inquires through their old training bond.

_Following a lead. Don't eat._

_Oh good._ Anakin smiles and rolls his eyes. Even through the Force, where there is no tone, he can still feel the sarcasm. It's admittedly been a while since he's seen this side of his former master. Ever since the war, he's been a lot more serious. A lot more stringent. General Kenobi is a different man than the Master Kenobi Anakin grew up with. It's by necessity, he supposes. Obi-Wan isn't just another Jedi knight anymore. He is a council member, a high general. Sometimes Anakin envies the responsibility and trust the Order instills in him so naturally, but most of the time he is relieved to have eyes off him for once. But right now, General Kenobi isn't here. Master Kenobi is and it's nice to see. A little nostalgic in ways. 

He gets out to the hall, but instead of going to the 'fresher, he turns the other way toward the kitchen. He has a feeling if he finds that droid he will also find some sort of command to poison their food or something. It would be enough evidence to arrest them for an attempted assassination, or at least expose them for being traitors. Anakin grimaces at the thought. He doesn't understand the games they play. Join the Confederacy or stay with the Republic, the war will decide who is more powerful. But playing both sides? He doesn't see the honor in being a womp rat. 

Anakin knew the hallway was long, but he feels like he's been walking forever at this point. Or maybe the gravity wells have suddenly faltered, and he's walking uphill now. 

But that wouldn't make sense. He would hear the crashing of dishes and the paintings on the wall would be tilted. He still has part of his attention on the dinner party and all is calm so far. Anakin wipes a bead of sweat away from his temple, realizing that his hair is clinging to the sheen of sweat across his forehead. 

He stops. Blinks. The hallway is tilting, but he has a feeling it isn't a gravity problem. _Uh oh,_ he thinks, and as his knees buckle he sends out a plea of help through their training bond. 

* * *

Obi-Wan is in the middle of subtly implying that one of the senators attended a particular political rally in the previous cycle when he is suddenly flooded with overwhelming feelings of queasiness, fatigue, and dizziness. He nearly drops his glass at the onset, and he immediately turns to his training bond with Anakin. 

_Obi-W..._

Silence. 

He's on his feet in an instant. The rest of the dinner party is staring at him, some with the first smiles he's seen all night, which is not at all comforting to him. 

"What is it, Master Jedi?" Zurros says with a look that is far too satisfied to not be involved somehow. He bites back the urge to say a number of damning things about the scheming senator. 

"I also will be right back," he says politely before eyeing the Falleen senator severely. Zurros's smile fades in an instant. "You can count on that." 

Obi-Wan turns and walks quickly out of the dinner party room. He can feel the muted side of Anakin's bond, and he sends feelings of reassurance through it, though he knows his former padawan may not be able to feel them. 

It doesn't take him long to find the young knight collapsed on the ground. Anakin only made it halfway down the hallway. Obi-Wan runs now, falling at his side and rolling him onto his back. Anakin's face is pale and clammy, his breathing concerningly shallow. Obi-Wan swallows hard, picking up his comm and sending the code for an immediate medevac and backup. He turns his attention back to his padawan. 

"Anakin, wake up." he urges, trying to wake him. He reaches through the Force and plucks at his consciousness, assessing the extent of the damage. From what he can tell, it's a slower acting poison. It's possible even he has also ingested some and has yet to feel the effects. He picks up Anakin's hand and presses hard against his nailbed. He doesn't react. _Possibly a paralytic agent as well..._

He can already hear the pounding of trooper footsteps in the distance. Luckily they called for standby back up as soon as they learned of their villainous company. As some troopers with a stretcher come round the corner, Obi-Wan stands. 

"General Skywalker has been poisoned by an unknown agent and needs immediate extraction and medical attention," He looks at the group of men led by Cody. "The rest of you are with me." Obi-Wan turns and Cody falls into step beside him. 

"The situation, sir?" 

"An assassination attempt has been made on a General Skywalker. We have cause to hold the senators and their staff present and conduct an investigation into the perpetrator. Blasters to stun, unless deadly action is initiated." 

"Yes, General," Cody pauses and then looks up at him. "Have you also been poisoned, sir, or only General Skywalker." 

He smiles. _Smart man, that Cody._ He's picked up Obi-Wan's antics quickly. "If I have I haven't begun to feel the symptoms," he says, giving his commander a side-eye. "But after seeing Anakin's state, I will not be taking my chances on that." 

He just doesn't _like_ the medbay. It doesn't mean he has a deathwish, as much as some would like to believe. 

They burst into the dinner party room, the senators jumping up in surprise at the Republic troopers that flood into the room with their blasters trained. Obi-Wan smiles, interlocking his hands behind his back. 

"I hate to put a damper on our lovely dinner but it seems someone has soiled the wine," he announces, taking a little bit of enjoyment in the outrage on their faces. 

"We are senators of the Republic, you can't do this!" Zurros yells as he is placed in cuffs. 

"You are suspects of an attempted assassination now. I am implored to remind you of your right to silence, Senator Zurros. For _all_ our sake." 

More calls of protest, but Obi-Wan turns to leave the room. Cold sweat has begun to form on his brow, and he is quite determined to not give the medics the satisfaction of carrying him out on a stretcher. 

* * *

Anakin has a horrible headache when he wakes up. The medbay lighting is never kind, forcing him to slowly blink his way to adjusting to the light. 

"He lives," a gentle voice rings out. Anakin rolls to his side, seeing the blurry form of his master sitting on the bed next to him.

"Barely," Anakin groans. "What happened?" 

"Poison in your wine. A nasty, but fairly common type, luckily. Kix had an antidote on hand. Those senators weren't exactly criminal masterminds it turns out." 

"I could've told you that." 

Obi-Wan chuckles. "I'm sure you have many, "I told you so's," for me right now." 

Anakin can hear the regret and guilt in his master's voice. It hadn't even occurred to Anakin that any of this would be Obi-Wan's fault, though he hadn't exactly been conscious to contemplate such an idea. 

"Someone had to drop otherwise we wouldn't have had evidence to actually arrest them," he pauses. "We _did_ arrest them, right?" 

"They are in custody. Two have already confessed to knowing about the scheme." 

"They requested immunity, then?" 

"Oh of course they did. They're politicians, Anakin," his Master's dislike of politicians is always amusing to Anakin. He wonders what he'll think of Anakin _marrying_ one when he eventually tells him. There will probably be jokes. Lots of jokes. "I still am sorry it had to be you, though." 

"Are you kidding? If it was you who collapsed in the hallway I'm sure I would not have the same _General Kenobi decorum_ with those kriffing senators." 

Obi-Wan hums with amusement. "I suspect there would be a lot of waving around of your lightsaber."

"We've been over this, it's called _aggressive negotiations,_ and it works." 

"Amazing how they don't call _you_ the Negotiator."

Anakin can feel the tension airing out between them as Obi-Wan's guilt fades away. It wouldn't be a mission of theirs if one of them didn't end up in the medbay, anyway... though from the IV in Obi-Wan's own arm, Anakin has a suspicion that he wasn't the only one to get a taste of poison. He decides not to point it out and ruin the mellow mood. 

He'll bring it up another time, for sure. Ammo for later. 


End file.
